WORK & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Ethics at Work and Information Technology

Ethics at Work and Information Technology

Introduction

We live in a digital world and stay connected to each other all the time. All thanks to the rapid changing technology. Like everything, technology too has its pros and cons. On one hand it helps us stay connected with our loved ones and we can stay updated with all the current happenings in the world, but on the other hand it has created issue for the working class. Employers have started unethical practices of asking employees to stay connected to work 24/7 (Muhr, 2010).

Is it ethical for employers to use information technologies to extend work into employees' home lives?

With the increase in the use of laptops and smart phones, employers expect its employees to stay connected all the time. They expect them to work regardless of wherever they are. This has hampered the work life balance. Employees are unable to give time to their family and it is also affecting their health. Increased competition is also one reason why employees stay connected all time. They have the fear that if they do not do their work while staying at home, their colleagues' wills, which will eventually, make them better off in the company (Lane, 2011).

Senior Corporate Counsel for Best Buy Inc., Mr. Brad Bolin expressed his views on the Corporate Data Privacy and Security which also focused on the practice that employers follow to make their employees work from home. Today every person has a smart phone. According to him, employers take advantage of this and make their employees work from their home through their smart phones and when they leave the company; their smart phones are taken by the company in the name of data theft. He says that there should be a mutual understanding ...